Simplest system backup?

I haven't had much success over the years trying to get non-tech users to backup their system - heck! it's even difficult usually to get them to backup their family photos! Those who have shown any interest have most often been put off by the complexity of programs like Acronis, Easeus Todo, Macrium Reflect etc and just don't ever do it. Many do get away with this, but some do not and end up wishing they had followed the advice.

So I was interested to come across what I perceive as a really easy to use set it and forget it backup program, AX64 Time Machine. At this stage I'm only hoping one or two of the regulars here might want to try this out for a while and then give us their views. I've had it running for a few days and have successfully restored both images and snapshots a few times but am still waiting to see how well it merges the automatic hourly backups to keep the total number of backups/snapshots manageable.

Apart from ease of use the really interesting thing about this program is the snapshot capability, much like Rollback RX, which enables you very quickly to restore to an hour ago, two hours ago etc. Acronis etc cannot do this.

Any takers? I assure everyone that I have no commercial interest whatsoever in this program.

 

Hey Earthling...

Does the snapshot record all changes within the last hour, or does it focus on user defined files such as syching would do? Just thinking now how it might be a really nice idea to split a system into an image and then synch user defined files...just remove select user defined areas from the image and synch those files and folders, instead. Can't recall having seen anything like this before.

It does sound like an interesting program, and I might try this, but, with backup, I feel like I need a week or two to gather my wits. It's just so many resources being thrown around, and then, also, a new program to look into. The worst part is what to do with old backups and those from a different program. My backup drives aren't particularly large at like 300 GB or 250 GB, etc.

This sounds like a very good idea, so thanks for the info...

 

Hi AtlBo - you tell it which partitions to backup and once an hour it does an incremental, having initially created a full image automatically. It doesn't differentiate by file type at all, but at any time you can do a hot restore of individual files to any previous backup point, or do a cold restore of the entire partition.

ATM I'm treating it as TGTBT. If that is wrong then it's a pretty amazing program.

 

Sounds amazing for sure. The only thing is how many of the hourlies to keep and will the program, for example, store 5 of them and remove one every time one is created? I know this is asking alot, especially if this is a free program, but, again, space is a big issue for me, presently. I kind of like the challenge of keeping smaller drives tidy, and I find I run into pretty bad clutter issues with larger drives, unfortunately.

Actually, I was on a backup regimen of imaging every day using a differential (one for each day of the week) and then imaging once a month again using a differential. This worked well for me, since differential backups are fairly lean. However, I still kind of felt like I was using more space than I would like. I have since gone on to just keeping a fairly recent master and then to manually synching my files by saving to two locations. I don't like this methodology, but I am really trying to limit running processes, so no sync program at the present time. Definitely, being able to go back on the hour and then to restore to, say, 5 hours ago, might mean that I could be much tidier and get rid of my manual regimen of syncing.

I guess I am between ideas when it comes to backup for now...

 

You can buy it for as little as $19.99 but the 30 day free trial is all I'm suggesting. It's long enough to evaluate it.

 

$19.90 isn't a bad price. Is the trial fully functional?

 

Some years ago there was a program called "GoBack" that worked in a similar fashion. It kept track only of the changes made to files, but you could "go back" minutes, hours or several days, depending on the amount of space you allocated and the number of file changes you made. It worked very well for me and I was quite sorry to see the program (originally by Roxio) bought up by Norton/Symantec and that was the end of it. Glad to hear someone has done something similar and hope it works as well as GoBack did. I recall that someone here at MG characterized GoBack as "evil" but I found it very useful and it worked slick as a whistle for me.

 

I've got a stand alone backup called "clickfree" its 1tb an takes a snapshot of ur whole
system, so u can reinstall all or parts of ur sys if it goes down. works great 4 me !

 

I believe so though I bought the product myself so not 100%. Posters are referring to previous snapshot programs like GoBack. Rollback RX - quite expensive - now leads in that category but there are severe operating restrictions with all such snapshot programs such as no booting from anything other than the HDD and no using imaging programs like Acronis. As these programs do not create an external restorable image they also cannot help if the hard disk has to be replaced. AX64TM aims to do what both imaging and snapshot programs do and if it succeeds it will be a real breakthrough.

I recommend reading the Tour on the website to get a better understanding.

 

OK. I just conducted the acid test. Uninstalled a couple of programs and deleted some files and then restored one of this morning's hourly backups. It rebooted into its own recovery environment, restored the image and rebooted itself. Everything was back as it had been and the whole process took less than three minutes. It does this by only restoring sectors that have changed since the backup was created rather than having to restore the whole partition as imaging programs do. Admittedly this was on quite a fast system with both an SSD and a HDD. Later I'll try it on my much slower laptop.

 

Yeah, I'm familiar with it. It's a good imaging program but it doesn't do snapshotting - that's the big difference with AX64.

 

AOMEI is what I've been using. Running from the CD you can backup/restore individual files and folders but, I don't know why that feature isn't available in the installed version.

 

Snapshotting isn't about files and folders, it's more like a super dooper System Restore as it restores your entire partition, not just some system files and the registry, and it does so amazingly quickly, 2-3 minutes at most to restore the entire system to a snapshot or just seconds for restoring files only. And it's giving you a new snapshot every hour and consolidating the older ones as it goes along.

As I said, I still think this may be TGTBT so I will continue with my twice monthly Macrium Reflect imaging for some time yet.

 

I'm now running the trial version on my laptop and can confirm it is fully functional. The laptop only has the one drive so backup has to be to a data partition, a rather slow business with imaging programs but AX64 completed its first Win 8.1 restore in 5 minutes without issue.

Confidence is increasing.

 

Earthling, I suspect most of the posters here are missing the point: a simple backup for clueless users.

While the other tools are nice, let's face it, they are not simple.

I tried some of the tools posted in this thread and there is a learning curve. We all know clueless users who are not going to invest any time to figuring out how a backup program works.
Click a button, take a snapshot of the system and be done with it. Now that a clueless user can handle.

Of course if the hard drive dies, all bets are off.

Earthling, suppose a bad update (Windows or an av program) causes Windows to not load. Is there a way to get a recent snapshot to load?

 

That's the main point for sure plodr, thanks. I was obviously hoping ppl would respond by saying they would run the trial, not by recommending other imaging programs we know ppl don't use. Also, if the user leaves it on the default Auto setting, he/she doesn't even have to click a button as the program will automatically create a new backup point every hour and progressively consolidate the older ones.

This is where AX64 really scores, as the sequence of hourly incrementals starts with a regular full image which you can restore with a bootable CD should either of these things happen, just like any imaging program. But you don't have to restore the baseline image as you can restore from any available backup point, and as it creates one an hour you have plenty to go at.

It isn't a cureall though. Most laptops have just the one drive but the program ideally needs a second drive connected for the backups. Backing up to a partition means lose the drive, lose the backups too.

 

A very interesting program, Earthling.

Note that the $19.95 price is a Sale price which expires on May 15th.

Guess that's one reason why it looks TGTBT.

Could you post some numbers such as minimum backup space required, typical size of the hourly incrementals, default number of hourlys and days backed up?
Does it or can it (optionally) display a system tray notification while the scheduled backup is operating?
How does it affect system performance while the backup is in progress?
Is a boot CD always required to do a restore?

If your testing continues to go well, think I'll grab one while it's on sale.
The real test, of course, is how reliable is the restore process.

 

I'm out for four or five hours now but I'll post that info this evening.

 

That sounds great.

Well, you could always move a backup off the internal hd to a portable that you connect once a week or so. Then you'd have a more up to date restore.

That way, you'd restore the baseline backup through the CD then follow that up by a backup stored on a portable hd.

 

See attached pic but that changes hourly as new snapshots are added and older ones consolidated. It's a 98GB Win 7x64 partition, 37GB used. In #1 I said "am still waiting to see how well it merges the automatic hourly backups to keep the total number of backups/snapshots manageable." The website describes what backups are retained and we should be retaining at least one per day for a week, but you can see from the pic that the backup from May 4 has now been merged and we only have those from May 5 at present, plus the baseline. This isn't right and I now have an open case with the authors about this. If that can't be addressed the program will indeed be TGTBT.

It doesn't do so but it happens so seamlessly and quickly that you would only have a few seconds to study it.

During creation of the baseline it's best left to get on with it, as with any imaging program, but otherwise there isn't any noticeable effect, not even on my modest laptop.

No, only if the system can't boot for any reason. It creates its own boot environment and boots into that for all restores.

I have now done half a dozen restores without issue.

As I said above, the concern now is with the backup consolidation and I would expect them to resolve that with a free update. I'll let you know if there are any new developments. In the meantime I suggest anyone interested installs the 30 day fully functional free trial.

 

The practical way to use it without a second drive permanently attached is to just put it on Manual, connect an external drive when necessary, and click the Backup button.

 

I have installed the trial and I'm allowing it to run normally.

The only options I can find are the required selection of Source and Target and turning On/Off the "warning" message when minimizing to the system tray.
It may be necessary to adjust the notification area to Show icon and notifications to see the icon.
There is no option to check for program updates.

I got about half a dozen individual warning popups from the Antivirus during the first run and another during the first hourly.
These files have been added to the antivirus Trust List:

• c:\Program Files\Time Machine\ChineseTraditional.dll (2 operations)
• c:\Program Files\Time Machine\ChineseSimplified.dll

Autoruns shows one item added to the Task Scheduler:

TMApp Time Machine c:\program files\time machine\tmapp.exe​

Maybe the size of your backup partition is affecting the number of hourly and daily backups retained.
--

 

There is over 300GB free on my backup partition so not that, but as of this morning it's still retaining one backup for May 5, as it should. Let's see if it survives the day

MSE didn't notice anything during setup and neither did Scotty (WinPatrol). They must both have been fast asleep!

Good to have someone else testing. Keep us informed

 

I may have found something to clarify this.
The image below shows that the date for the file containing the snapshot does not match the date the snapshot was taken.
Use the Backup Browser to try matching a snapshot and its file.
edit:
The date shown for the file detail is the Date Modified.

Got another warning from the antivirus but now I realize that those files should not be directly involved with the snapshot operation.
They are all .dll files are in the folder C:\Program Files\Time Machine\Localization\.
It seems that the process continues even when I'm not present to respond to the prompts and the file is automatically Blocked.

 

If I study the backup situation in the program's backup browser rather than in Windows Explorer it does look as if the backups are being retained correctly and the May 4 backup was actually retained. The first attached pic was taken about 9AM on May 8. The second b/u in the list was 3 days 15 min back which puts it at 6PM on May 4 but for some reason Explorer in pic 2 says it's May 5. Both lists contain the baseline and 16 snapshots, it's just the presentation that is a bit confusing.

 

Yes, it is confusing.
If the file list in Explorer is ordered by Date Created instead of Date Modified, then it appears to match the Backup Browser.
After 24 hours, it retains only one automatic snapshot per day. That didn't sink in with me right away.
I just did a manual backup so I can check that it does not delete or try to merge that one.

I think you meant 3 days and 15 Hours back, not 3 days 15 minutes.

 

The user guide says all backups are incremental so I doubt that doing a manual will change the merge behaviour, and just copying the one you want to keep wouldn't work either as restore needs the previous backups.

After 6 days I'm starting to have confidence it is doing what it says on the tin.

 

Here's the position after a full week - one backup per day and atm still several from yesterday. The folder containing these backups is 28GB, same as the single Acronis image I took as a precaution before installing the program, yet any one of those backup points is effectively a full disk image and could be used to restore the system to the same or to a different hard disk. Individual files from any backup point can also be restored.

Despite my initial reservations I'm now 98% satisfied that the program does do what it claims to do and will be installing it on the other computers here. I shall probably continue taking one other system image a month with a different imaging program as insurance but to have this program automatically protecting the system in this way is very reassuring and convenient. The only problem I see is that it isn't being marketed effectively and if that doesn't change it will never reach its intended audience.

 

Had to restore an AX64 backup in anger this afternoon - literally :mad I needed to create an ISO so thought to download ImgBurn from MG. Turned out this now has additional software, TuneUp, that you can't opt out of!! Anyway it was a good opportunity to restore back one hour and it worked perfectly and was very quick as it only restores sectors that have changed since the backup was created. While Acronis, Macium Reflect, AOMEI Backupper etc do work reliably, having hourly backups created completely automatically is hugely more convenient and restoration a heck of a lot quicker.

As for ImgBurn I don't think MG should host software that has extras you may not want but can't opt out of. This is a shame as ImgBurn has previously been a solid recommendation.

 

Knowing I can quickly revert I just ran the ImgBurn installer again. You are right in that the final screen does allow you to opt out of TuneUp but that screen does not appear for quite some time, and if you proceed in that time - not knowing an opt-out will appear if you wait - then you get TuneUp. It's pretty underhand and devious and I just don't understand how developers can think this sort of behaviour enhances their reputation.

 

As usual, I do things differently. My users don't ever back things up and don't have to.
Each computer has a small boot SSD, either 128 for most or 256 for those with a lot of programs. These get an image made so I can restore quickly.
All data is stored on a ReadyNAS that backs itself up to an attached drive. In mission critical applications the drive gets rotated weekly off site. The NAS emails me if it has any trouble and I check it daily in any event. We had a couple of people keeping data locally and when they crashed they lost the data. I pointed to the policy of a copy of all data on the NAS and walked away.

Once the shortcuts are made. permissions are set and people are trained this system is pretty bullet proof and requires almost no administration.

 

This is exactly the question I have regarding space.

 

I gave some early indication in #23 but here's an update. The program is backing up my Win 7 partition and my Data partition to an external drive. The combined used space on the two partitions is 60GB. I have 6 daily backups for both available at present and hourly backups for the last 24 hours and the total space used for the backup files is 37GB, which is fairly typical compression for an imaging program whichever one you use. As time goes by, and unless I reset it and start a new backup chain after say a month, it will grow though not by much at all unless I add a lot of new stuff to my data partition.

The program is working without problems and I have the same level of confidence in it as I have in the the imaging programs I have used previously, mainly Acronis and Macrium Reflect.

 

Earthling...

Thanks for the update information.

I think Paragon backs up 35 GB in roughly 16 GB, but that is for one backup. Then, depending on the changes, daily differential backups run about 2-4 GB or more if the contents of the system have changed more appreciably since the original backup. I have had these daily differentials grow to 10 or 12 GB each (ouch).

37 GB for all of the daily and hourly backups sounds really very good to me. It sounds like it is worth the money, too, except that I think I want hold out for a program that makes it possible to coordinate easily imaging with synching. By this I mean a program that gives me the ability to separate files and folder locations to be synched from from the base image and then simply sync those files without compression. Hourly is great, but there is still that remote chance something might be left out of a backup. Of course, that means it will happen to me...:-D:-o

I'm going to hold out for something, but I guess it's a who knows if anything will ever come along like that. Thanks again.

 

I don't think imaging and file backups are really amenable to the same solution. I use imaging so that in the event of catching a nasty, or having a failed hard disk, or having a serious system malfunction, or wanting to completely remove a recent software install I can revert to a recent state and avoid the need to reinstall Windows and my software and not have to go through dozens of updates, all of which can take days. Any imaging program, including AX64 Time Machine, will satisfy those criteria, it's just that AX64 does it automatically and much more frequently and quickly than other imaging programs.

For my file backups I mainly use WinRAR. It's probably got the most user unfriendly interface around and creates .rar or .zip archives but it can be configured to do precisely what you want, whether that is a full standalone backup of selected folders every day or whenever or creating an incremental chain. If I want selected folders duplicated on another drive I use a sync program with scheduling, such as SyncBack Free. But I never use imaging for file backups - I don't want my files backed up in a proprietary format, just zip, rar or native.

 

Earthling...

I guess I can see the logic in that thinking. If you were to lose your backup program and not be able to restore it and if you then couldn't find the program to reinstall, then you wouldn't be able to restore. Just another worry to be free from for sure.

I think maybe the biggest reason to do as you mention is that programs and Windows don't change much compared to user files. We all are rummaging around in our files, adding new pictures, music, and vids. Using differential backups over say a seven day period means each differential grows according to how many files have been added. It's like multiplying changes by 7 in that instance.

What I was hoping to see someday is a program that will allow me to choose (Paragon does not allow this) to image everything but my files. I believe you use a separate partition to store your files, but I really don't want to go through keeping up with partitions. That leaves me stuck backing up every change 7 times a week. If I could separate my files from the image (with still only one partition) and then sync those files to a folder on a remote drive or even two drives, then I would feel more comfortable with imaging. Really what I mean is if I could do this from one program.

Not likely I am going to go to partitioning to resolve this. It would just mean another program, and I have managed to learn to get by with a nice minimum these days, something I plan to continue. I guess my only hope is to wait and see if someone comes up with a backup plan that will accommodate what I would like to be able to do. Been close to using a syncer (I actually have Groove Monitor with MS Office 2007), but I am sticking with this lean setup that I really like...

Thanks again

 

Yes, differentials would account for the large size of your backups. AX64 only uses incrementals so backups are small and fast. They are also more fragile of course, as any fault in the chain will break it at that point. For that reason I will continue for the time being with the occasional full image using a different program.

 

Update - as a test, and with all the June updates installed, I used AX64 to revert to the pre-updates position a week ago. It took about three minutes max and after satisfying myself it really had reverted to a week ago I then restored to the last hourly backup. That also took three minutes max and everything is fine. These times are with a SSD system drive and booting the AX64 ISO with EasyBCD. Obviously it would be slower on a HDD and when booting to a CD but this has to be the easiest way ever of imaging and restoring your drives.

There were a few bugs in the first version I recommended but the current beta 2.0.0.624 hasn't given me any problems at all.

 

Yes, I have interest. I know it's time for me to get rid of the "buts" and do this. Do I need to buy one of these programs or is there a free one Earthling? Also, I read my win7 has a program already, but as you said, this is the easiest way for us beginners. And I haven't gotten away with "not" backing up. Two system restores in a year So yes, I definitely want to do this denise

PS One thing I noticed was I need either a flash-drive, or discs which I have neither on hand, and very low on money. I'm wondering if there is a place online I can store my image info that won't cost me. If it costs, I may need to spring for a few bucks, but then I need those New Balance tennies too, lol denise

 

Hi denise. I wouldn't advise less experienced users to try this AX64 program. It's a beta and isn't entirely bug free yet. I use Acronis and Macrium Reflect and both are first class backup programs, but the easiest to use is AOMEI Backupper. Other here use it and find it does the job well and it's FREE :-D

Whichever imaging program you use you need storage space, as images can get quite big, depending on the size of the disk you are imaging and how much data is on it. An external HDD, 500GB or preferably 1TB, is the best as otherwise it's a stack of DVDs - not the easiest to manage.

http://www.aomeitech.com/download.html

 

crap, well, I will try and figure something out Earthling, the programs are free, but I felt sure storage space (that much) is not on the web Thank you much, denise

 

Unless you have a high speed fibre or cable connection it isn't practical to upload system images to web storage, they are just too big. You would also need an unlimited data allowance, so a local disk is the only practical solution for most folk. A 1TB 2.5" external drive would set you back about $50 and is a solid investment.

 

@ Earthling,

Would a home user really need the AX64 Program? I'm one of the people who use AOMEI Backupper,

 

If you go back to the first post in this thread, you'll see why Earthling was interested in AX64.

 

Hi mdonah, it's simply the fact that you set it once and forget it. If you get hit by a virus, or have a problem with the computer, you will be certain to have a recent backup available. But if you look back I wasn't advocating non-tech users should try it, just ppl like you and me, to establish whether it really was as good as it sounded.

I reinstalled it a month ago, later build, and the backup folder has grown from 24GB to 60GB with all the incrementals so, realistically, you probably do need to reset it from time to time, in which case its advantages start being eroded. Resetting it just involves deleting your backup set via the interface and letting it start over.

I don't see it being supported long term, the authors just don't have the resources, so I'm not recommending ppl adopt it as a permanent backup solution. I haven't tried the latest Macrium Reflect v6 but understand it now works similarly, so that would probably be a better way forward at present.